Alice's Story: Part 6 (Mattel The Twilight Saga Eclipse Alice)

(Note From Treesa: This is a continuation of the previous post. Alice's draft was way too long, so I broke it up.
Signed, Treesa)

The next time I went to see Joy she talked a little about her past life. I found out Treesa is Joy's second owner, and that Joy didn't always have such an easy time going with the flow. She told me it wasn't until after Treesa bought her that she'd realized she'd be a lot happier if she focused on all the good things about her life, instead of carrying around grudges for things that happened in the past.

Then Joy asked me to tell her more about my life. I'd already told her, when we first met, that Treesa bought me at the thrift store. And she knew I'd been friends with Wedding Bells and Wedward. So I told her a little about my old family. I told her how much I missed everybody. I told her how Esme had been like a mom to most of us. That's how she got the nickname Esmom. I even told her a little about Jazzy Jazz, how he was always goofing around and trying to make the rest of us laugh. I didn't mention that I'd been in love with Jazzy Jazz. I didn't really want to talk about it, and I thought Joy must've already heard about it from Jasper. I did tell Joy how Jane and Victoria had actually been really nice, even though their characters are villains in the Twilight series.

"What's Twilight about anyway?" Joy asked. "I know it has vampires in it, but that's about all I know." I was a little surprised Jasper hadn't already filled Joy in on the storyline, but I didn't say that out loud. I thought maybe Jasper had a reason for not sharing more about Twilight with Joy. Maybe he was like Lois and wanted his own identity. Maybe he wanted other dolls to see him as himself, and not the character he was made to look like. Though if you ask me Jasper is a lot more like the Jasper in the books/movies than Jazzy Jazz was.

I knew it would take a while to go over the whole Twilight saga with Joy, so I warned her, "It's kind of a long story." Then I started summing up the plot of the first book. I left out the part about my character and Jasper's character being a couple. I didn't really want to talk about that either, and it was easy to skip that part because the book mostly focuses on Bella and Edward's relationship. I did mention Alice's power to see the future, and Jasper's empathic 'gift', when I told Joy about Edward's mind reading skills. When I finished I told Joy, "And that's just the first book."

At first Joy didn't say anything. She looked like she was thinking something over. Then she said, "I guess I just don't get it."

"What don't you get?" I asked. I thought there must've been something in the plot she didn't understand and needed me to explain better. "I don't get why this was such a big thing," Joy said. "Maybe if I actually read it I would. Or maybe it's a human thing."

That's when Jasper came around the corner. "Joy, I was wondering if...", but he didn't finish the sentence. He sort of froze when he saw me. Then he got this look on his face like he was going to turn around and leave again. I felt bad knowing that me being there was driving him away. After all he hadn't known I was there. He probably just wanted to spend some time with his sister. I wanted him to know he didn't have to leave just because I was hanging out with Joy. So before he could disappear I asked, "What do you think of Twilight, Jasper?"

Jasper didn't answer right away. When he did he said, "To be honest I don't know that much about it, only what was printed on my box." Then he gave this short, dramatic monologue about a 'modern day vampire love story'. I was a little confused, until I realized he must be quoting whatever was printed on his box.

When he finished Joy tapped her fingers against her palm and said "Bravo" in a snooty voice. I guess she was trying to imitate the applause of a cultured theater goer. Jasper bowed, but it looked like he was trying not to laugh. So he did have a sense of humor after all.

I was sort of stunned that Jasper could remember a whole paragraph word for word like that. "You memorized all that?" I asked. Jasper shrugged. "I was in the back row at the toy store," he said. "I spent weeks staring at the back of the box of the Jasper doll in front of me."

"Couldn't you talk to any of the dolls next to you?" I asked. Jasper looked sort of embarrassed and said, "I was never much of a conversationalist. I never know how to begin." For a minute I didn't know what to say. I knew for a fact I wouldn't have been able to take that kind of isolation. Just thinking about going through what Jasper had at the store made me upset. "That sounds awful!" I told him. "I was in the second row, but the Alice dolls were selling so fast that I moved to the front pretty quick. I can't even imagine being stuck all the way in the back for weeks!" I didn't realize how upset I sounded until Jasper tried to calm me down. "It's alright Alice," he said. "It was a long time ago."

That's when things got weird. I started feeling sort of guilty. I'd asked Jasper three questions at the most, but somehow I'd managed to dredge up what were probably some of his most painful memories. I hadn't meant to, but that wasn't the point. Because of me Jasper had had to relive his time at the store. I felt like he should've been mad at me for bringing it up, but he wasn't. Instead he was trying to comfort me. I felt like I didn't deserve it. I felt like I should be comforting him, not the other way around.

I realized I was about two seconds away from putting my hand on Jasper's arm and telling him it would be ok. He probably would've taken that the wrong way. Luckily I managed to get a hold of myself before I did anything stupid. "I have to go," I said. Then I turned to Joy and said, "It was nice talking to you again."

"Stop by any time," Joy said. Maybe next time you can tell me what happens in the second book." I nodded, told Joy, "I'll see you later," and left. For the next few days I sort of kept to myself, trying to figure things out. I couldn't understand why I'd reacted the way I had. It was one thing to feel sorry for Jasper, but it was something completely different to actually want to do something about it and make it all better. Thinking over what had happened I realized that in that moment I'd finally started to see who Jasper really was. Before then, when I'd thought about Jasper, I'd always compared him to either Jazzy Jazz or the character from the books/movies. I realized now that that wasn't really fair to Jasper. It wasn't fair to compare Jasper to a made-up character or to another doll I'd known who looked like him because Jasper would never be either of those things. All he could be was himself, and I was finally starting to see that. What I saw was a doll who could be funny in his own way, a doll who was quiet not because he didn't want to share but because he didn't know how.

I can't really explain why I went back to see Joy again. Maybe I just wanted someone to talk to. Or maybe I wanted to hang out with Joy because I thought she already knew how I'd felt about Jazzy Jazz, but was tactful enough not to bring it up. Like I said before, back then I thought Jasper must've already told Joy about my past. It'd be a few more months before I found out he hadn't.

I went over the plots of the other Twilight books with Joy, and we talked about them a little. Jasper was around for some of these discussions. When he wasn't Joy would fill him in on anything he'd missed. Joy joked that it was like being in a book club where only one person had read the book.
Jasper really seemed interested in the story though, like he wanted to find out as much about Twilight as he could. I know Jasper's a Twilight doll, but still he seemed more obsessive about the details of the books than I ever was. I actually said something about it at one of our 'book club meetings', as Joy called them. I tried to make it sound like a joke so Jasper wouldn't get offended. Then Jasper told me, "You have to know where you came from before you can know where you're going." I'm still not sure what Jasper meant, but it did make me think.

So I guess that's about it. I thought this post would be a little rambling, but I didn't know it would turn out this long. And I still feel just as mixed-up as I did when I started. Maybe I need to take a break and stop thinking so much. That might help.

Alice

Alice's Story: Part 5 (Mattel The Twilight Saga Eclipse Alice)

I should probably warn you ahead of time, this post might not make much sense. There's some stuff I'm trying to figure out right now, and I thought if I wrote everything down it'd help me sort out my thoughts. I'm not really sure where to start though. I guess I should pick up where I left off. When I last posted I wasn't really sure where my life was headed. So I was sort of on cruise control, waiting for something to happen. I know now waiting for something to happen isn't always the best idea. For one thing it gives you too much time to think, and I kept thinking about the last thing Jasper said to me.

After I told Jasper about Jazzy Jazz, the first doll I ever loved, Jasper thought I'd be happier if I didn't have to see him at all. I tried to tell Jasper I didn't blame him for me and Jazzy Jazz getting separated, but Jasper still must've thought having to be around him day after day would torture me. So he just kept avoiding me, and he was really good at it. It was early January when I told Jasper about Jazzy Jazz, and I barely got a glimpse of Jasper for the rest of the month.

At first I was sort of relieved. Telling Jasper about my first love had made me really uncomfortable. I'd never told anyone how I felt about Jazzy Jazz, not even Treesa when she'd asked if I'd left someone special behind. I'd never even told my old family, though I think some of them might've figured it out anyway. Jazzy Jazz couldn't have known, because if he had things would've been a lot more awkward between us. Things probably would've been a lot more awkward for the whole family if word got around that I was in love with Jazzy Jazz. It was sort of embarrassing and uncomfortable, being in love with someone who thought of me as a sister. So I just never told anyone.

But I had to tell Jasper. I realized pretty quick that Jasper liked me, and it wasn't fair to let him get his hopes up. The sooner I told him I couldn't love him the sooner he'd move on. So I told Jasper how I felt about Jazzy Jazz. Those feelings I'd hid and guarded for so long were finally out in the open. I didn't realize it then, but I was trusting Jasper with my biggest secret. Jasper knew though, and he wouldn't break that trust. That's why he didn't tell anyone, not even his sister Joy. I hate to say it but I was really surprised when I found out Jasper hadn't told her. I mean, I never thought Jasper would tell everyone, but I thought he'd at least tell his sister. It wasn't until a couple months after I started hanging out with Joy that I found out she didn't know.

That's right, I'm sort of friends with Joy now. When Wedding Bells and Wedward left I knew I'd have to make new friends eventually. You can't take two steps in Treesa's room without bumping into another doll, so it's not like I could avoid having any contact with the rest of the collection. And honestly I didn't want to be a loner. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life thinking about the past and wishing things hadn't changed. I wanted to be able to move on. But moving on is tough, and I'll admit I really didn't try that hard to make friends at first. I was polite to everybody, but close friendships are something you have to work at, and I knew I wasn't putting in as much effort as I should've.

I can't really explain why I started hanging out with Joy. I'd met a lot of Treesa's other dolls by then, so I could've tried making friends with someone else. But when I tried to think of dolls I'd have something in common with nobody seemed like the right fit. Halle and me both had some grudges against Treesa, but Halle's a lot more...hostile to humans than I am. Lois is a character doll from a movie, like me. But Lois has more of an independent streak than I do. Dandelion, and her friends Shade and Rampion, are fun-loving dolls who like to have a good time. The way they act around each other reminds me of my old family. But I didn't think I was lively enough to fit in with them.

When I thought about Joy, I remembered her go with the flow, take things as they come attitude. I wondered if she could teach me to be like that. And I'll admit I was also curious about Jasper. I couldn't forget the last thing he'd said to me the day I told him about Jazzy Jazz. Jasper told me he'd like to be my friend, but only if it wasn't too painful for me. For some reason that really stuck with me. Here was a doll who cared about me so much he'd put what I wanted first, even if it wasn't what he wanted. The more I thought about it the more I wondered how he could be so selfless. I mean, when I lived with my old family I was close enough to all of them that I would've gone out of my way to help them if they needed me. But Jasper had already proved he'd do anything in his power to make me happy, and he barely knew me! It made me wonder if Jasper really could've fallen in love with me at first sight. Or maybe he only thought he was in love with me. Maybe he'd fallen in love with his first impression of me, and not the real me. Or maybe, because he was a Jasper doll, there was something molded into his plastic that made him fall in love with the first Alice doll he saw. Would he still have fallen in love if it'd been another Alice doll he met, and not me? But if it was something in his plastic, if all Jasper dolls automatically fell in love with the first Alice doll they saw, then why had Jazzy Jazz only ever loved me like a sister?

I wasn't sure if I'd ever have the answers to all these questions, but for some reason I wanted to at least try and find out. I can't really explain why. Maybe it was just the timing. It was mid-February by then. Valentine's Day was coming, and without Wedding Bells and Wedward and the rest of my family around me there was no one to take my mind off it. I was in a new house, surrounded by new dolls, and even though I'd been here for a while those dolls still felt like strangers. I felt completely alone.

The first time I went to visit Joy I was a little nervous, because I hadn't come up with a good excuse for why I was dropping by. But Joy was just as friendly as she'd been when Treesa first introduced us. I don't remember exactly what I said when she asked if there was a reason I'd stopped by. I think I told her I felt overwhelmed. Trying to decide which dolls would make the best friends by weighing the pros and cons was sort of stressing me out, but I didn't say that out loud. Whatever I said probably didn't make much sense to Joy, but she didn't ask me to explain. She just started talking about the weather. Then whenever the conversation started to drag she switched to another safe, small-talk topic.

Valentine's Day came up, of course. Joy told me it's not a very popular holiday in Treesa's collection. Most of Treesa's dolls don't even celebrate it. For the most part it's an excuse for the married couples to get one of their friends to watch the kids so they can spend some quality time together. I guess it makes sense if you really think about it. Toy companies always make a lot more female dolls than male dolls, since most dolls are bought for little girls and little girls like dressing their dolls up and playing with their hair. So unless you have a really small doll collection it's almost impossible for every female doll to find the love of her life. Luckily some dolls like staying single. Dandelion and Lois don't seem like they're in a hurry to find dates.

(Note From Treesa: The post that Alice drafted is way too long, so I'm breaking it up. I'll post the rest later.

Signed, Treesa)

Joy's Story: 2 (unidentified blond Barbie)

Remember how in my last post, I said I'd noticed something a little...off about my brother Jasper, something I couldn't really put my finger on? Well, I did eventually find out what was going on. When Alice started hanging out with me, the way Jasper looked at her was kind of hard to miss. Jasper still didn't talk to me about it though, even when I started dropping hints that I knew how he felt about Alice. It wasn't until later that Alice told me the whole story.

When she first started hanging out with me in mid-February, I remember it was mid-February because it was around Valentine's Day, Alice really seemed to need a friend. She said something about feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. I knew her friends Wedding Bells and Wedward had left to live with Treesa's friend, so I thought she meant she felt overwhelmed by the number of dolls in Treesa's collection and didn't know where to start making new friends. But when Alice told me her whole back-story a couple months later, I started to wonder if the size of Treesa's doll collection was the only thing she felt overwhelmed about.

When she first started hanging out with me Alice told me a little about her past. She'd mentioned how her first owner's collection had been like a big family, and how much she missed her old friends. She even mentioned Jazzy Jazz, and the way he always clowned around and made everybody laugh. It wasn't until a few months later that she told me she'd been in love with Jazzy Jazz, and that Jazzy Jazz was a Twilight Jasper doll. She also told me that in the Twilight series her character and Jasper's character are a couple.

Well, like I told Alice at the time I had no idea things were so complicated. Alice was surprised that Jasper hadn't already told me. When I asked him later why he hadn't told me Jasper said, "Alice told me that in confidence. It wasn't my place to tell you. I thought if she wanted you to know, she would tell you herself."

So Alice assumed that Jasper had already told me, and Jasper thought that Alice either didn't want me to know or would tell me herself when she was ready. Talk about getting left out of the loop. But I'm trying not to dwell on it. It's not like Alice and Jasper kept me in the dark on purpose.

From: Joy

To: The World

Elsa's Story: Chapter 1 (Disney Frozen Birthday Party Elsa by Mattel)

It's amazing how quickly things can change. Two months ago I was sitting in my box at the store, waiting for someone to buy me, and now I'm a big sister. And no, it had nothing to do with Treesa's 'meddling', as some of the other dolls call it. Actually, Treesa was more surprised than anybody. But I'm getting ahead of myself. It's always best to start at the beginning, so here goes.

The day Treesa took me out of my box was probably one of the craziest days of my life. The best way to describe the welcoming process would be 'organized chaos'. Word spread quickly through the collection that there was a new doll in the house and groups of dolls kept coming over to meet me and introduce themselves. As soon as one group left, another would show up to take their place. I barely had time to catch my breath. Not only that, but I ended up hearing and answering a lot of the same questions over and over again. What was my name? What doll line was I from? What did I think of Treesa?

And everyone seemed to have at least one piece of advice, some of it contradictory. For example, several dolls told me that Treesa has a tendency to meddle. Joy's advice was to pick my battles but to otherwise go with the flow. Halle basically told me to take matters into my own hands and to ALWAYS speak up for myself. By the end of the day my head was spinning. I was so grateful to go to sleep that night.

The next day the 'welcoming committee' seemed to have thinned out, much to my relief. I found out later it's customary to give new dolls a little peace and quiet on their second day in the house, to give them time to adjust. The other dolls would say hello when they passed by, but none of them tried to drag me into a lengthy conversation. They were also very understanding if I couldn't remember their names, which happened a lot.

I enjoyed the peace and quiet for a while. But by the time afternoon rolled around I was starting to get a little bored and lonely. I decided to walk around the room a little, hoping to find some company, or at least a distraction. I knew from the other dolls that Treesa knew we were alive, so there was no danger of me giving anything away if I wasn't where she'd left me when she got back to the room. It was a weekend, so I really wasn't sure if Treesa was even in the house or not.

As I started my walk around Treesa's bedroom, I turned my head to look out the window. The sky was clear and the sun was shining, and I stopped for a moment to admire the view. Suddenly, a little boy doll raced across the floor towards the window. He stopped when he saw me. "Excuse me," he said politely, "Did you see a baby reindeer over here?"

I looked at him, surprised. A baby reindeer was probably the last thing I expected to see roaming around Treesa's bedroom. "No, I haven't," I said. That's when we both heard a soft snorting sound. It seemed to be coming from behind a stack of books that were left piled under the window. The little boy doll raced over and peeked the stack. "I FOUND YOU!" he shouted. Then he walked back over to me, followed by a plastic animal that did look like it could be a baby reindeer.

"Thank you for helping," the little boy doll said to me. I smiled. I couldn't help it. It was impossible not to be charmed by this little fellow, with his adorable, freckled face and his wonderful manners.

"You're welcome," I said. The little boy doll seemed to be studying me. His eyes were looking up, focused intently on my face. Though he was a little larger than one-sixth scale, I was still taller than him. "You're pretty," he said at last. "What's your name?"

"Elsa," I said. The little boy doll smiled. "My name's Christian," he said, "and this is Sven." Just then Treesa rushed into the room. She headed over to the window, and started rummaging through the stack of books. I guessed she was looking for something. Then she noticed the three of us standing by the window, two dolls and a plastic reindeer. "Christian," she said, "you're not bothering Elsa, are you? She's new here."

"He's no bother," I said quickly. I didn't want Christian to get in trouble. I also wanted to reassure him that he hadn't done anything wrong. Treesa looked a little surprised at first, but then her expression changed and she said, "It's nice to see you're making friends already Elsa. Watch out though, Christian will steal your heart if you let him." Then Treesa picked up the book she'd come in for and headed for the door.

After Treesa left, Christian smiled up at me. "You're really nice," he said. "Do you want to play hide and seek with me and Sven? It's Sven's turn to seek." Christian looked so hopeful that I didn't see how I could say no. "All right," I said with a laugh. Christian cheered and said, "I'll show you a great hiding place." Then he ran off, and I followed close behind him.

I'll admit, I didn't expect to have so much fun playing hide and seek. But it was impossible not to get caught up in Christian's enthusiasm. After a few rounds of hiding and seeking I was acting more like a kid myself than an adult. I had a number of the other dolls ask me curiously what I was doing, but after I sheepishly explained that I was playing hide and seek with Christian and Sven they just smiled a little and nodded. I got the feeling I wasn't the only doll who'd been won over by Christian and his reindeer friend.

The next day I was taking a stroll when I met up with Christian and Sven again. They were playing with a Barbie-sized frisbee, and they asked me to join them. "The other kids don't play with us much," Christian explained. "They're all smaller than me, and I think they're scared of Sven." The look on Christian's face broke my heart, and I agreed right away to stay and play frisbee. We talked as we tossed the frisbee back and forth.

"How long have you and Sven been friends?" I asked. Christian smiled. "Since always," he said. "We came in the same box. There was me and Sven and Annie and Elsie and Olaf." Christian's smile faded and he said, "We had lots of fun, 'til the humans cleaned the room up. They threw lots of stuff in a big, brown box. Elsie was hiding under the bed 'cause our human lost her dress, and Annie was with her 'cause they're sisters. Me and Sven and Olaf got put in the box. So did Elsie's dress, so now she can never come out."

Christian sniffled. His expression tugged at my heartstrings. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," I said. Christian didn't say anything, but Sven must have known that something was wrong because he came over and nudged Christian with his nose. Christian patted Sven lightly. It was easy to see how close the two of them were.

Christian and Sven

Christian still looked unhappy though, and I tried to think of something to say that would help. "You know," I said gently, "before Treesa bought me I didn't have any friends. I was all alone in my box, and I was really lonely. But I'm not lonely anymore." Then I smiled at Christian and said , "How could I be lonely when I have friends like you and Sven?" This seemed to cheer Christian up, and we got back to the frisbee game.

(Stay tuned for Chapter 2.)

Alice's Story: Part 4 (Mattel The Twilight Saga Eclipse Alice)

 

Christmas means a lot of things to a lot of people, but 'peace on earth' seems like one of the more popular phrases around Christmas time. And I figured out pretty quick that I wasn't going to feel 'at peace' until I told Jasper the truth. So I did. But I decided to wait until after Christmas. I didn't want to risk ruining the holiday for Jasper.

 

The day I came clean I found Jasper over by the window, staring out at the sky. I wasn't sure if he knew I was there at first. But then he said, "Hello Alice," just like he did when we first met. He turned to me and smiled, just a little. It was like he wanted me to know he was happy to see me, but he didn't want to risk making me uncomfortable by showing me with a full on smile just HOW happy he was to see me.

 

"Jasper," I said, plunging right in, "there's something we need to talk about." Jasper's smile disappeared and his expression turned more serious. I kept going. "Listen, you've probably noticed I'm a little uncomfortable around you," I said.  Jasper nodded.

 

"The thing is," I told him, "I already knew a Jasper doll before, at my old house. We were part of a collection, all Twilight dolls. It was like having a big family. Jasper loved me like a little sister but me...I just loved him." I was sort of stumbling over my words, but I knew I had to keep going. "We all got donated to the thrift store but Treesa didn't buy Jasper,"

 

"Because she already had me," Jasper said, putting the pieces together. His facial expression didn't change but I saw so much feeling in his eyes. He looked...crushed. I'd expected him to be disappointed when I told him but this, this went beyond just being disappointed.

 

Jasper turned away, hunching his shoulders like there was a heavy weight pushing down on him. Then he said, "I'm so sorry Alice." The words came out sort of hoarse, and I realized then the feeling that was weighing him down so much was guilt. He felt like it was his fault that I was unhappy, and that I wasn't with the doll I loved. He must've thought if he hadn't been here first, Treesa would've bought my Jasper.

 

"It's not your fault Jasper," I said, and I meant it. "You didn't know. That's why I'm telling you."

 

Jasper's posture didn't change. I wondered if he'd even heard what I said. What Jasper said next made me realize just how deep his feelings went. "I never meant to hurt you Alice," Jasper said. "You have to believe that." It took a minute before I got the full meaning of what he was saying. The real reason Jasper was hurting so much was because he thought that he was hurting me, and that was the last thing he ever wanted to do. Jasper thought that, just by being here, he was constantly reminding me of what I'd lost.

 

I'd thought that telling Jasper the truth would make me feel better. Instead, I just felt horrible. Because of me, Jasper was blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault. All I could think was how badly I'd screwed things up, and how much I wanted to fix them. But how could I convince Jasper that none of this was his fault. An idea popped into my head and I acted on it without thinking. First I touched Jasper's arm, to get his attention. It worked. Jasper turned back to look at me. "We're dolls Jasper," I said. "We can't control what our humans do. And as far as I know neither one of us can see the future. There's no way you could've known that me and the doll I was in love with would get donated at the same time, and that Treesa would only buy me because the other doll looked just like you. And even if you had known all that there's nothing you could've done about it. Besides, even if Treesa had bought the other Jasper doll, that doesn't mean he ever would've loved me THAT way. I told you he just treated me like a little sister."

 

I stopped talking for a minute, trying to think of something else to say. Then Jasper looked me in the eye. He didn't say anything at first. It was like he was trying to figure out if I really believed what I was saying. Anyway, Jasper must've made up his mind that I was being honest, and that I really didn't blame him for anything. "Thank you Alice," he said. He said it like he really meant it, like I had taken the weight of the world off his shoulders. Then I felt the crisp fabric of Jasper's shirt sleeve under my fingers and realized I was still touching his arm. That's when I started to feel uncomfortable, and embarrassed. I pulled my hand away.

 

"No problem," I said. "What are friends for?" I felt like I was babbling. Since when were me and Jasper friends?

 

"I'd like to be your friend Alice," Jasper said quietly. "And I'm sure Joy would too. But if it makes you too uncomfortable, I understand." I can't remember what I said after that. I'm not sure I want to. It was probably something stupid, or something that hurt Jasper's feelings. All I know is I've been thinking about Jasper a lot lately. I mean, I was thinking about him a lot before, trying to figure out how to tell him about Jazzy Jazz, my Jasper. The thing is, I don't really think of him as my Jasper anymore. It's like telling this Jasper the truth helped me finally let go.

 

There's this quote from Lewis Carroll that says, 'It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.' When Treesa first got me, I sometimes wished that I'd at least told Jazzy Jazz I was in love with him. But now, if I could somehow go back in time and do it, I don't think I'd want to anymore. Jazzy Jazz might only have loved me like a sister, but if he'd known I loved him he still would've worried about me after we got separated. He would've worried about whether or not I'd be able to move on. Since I never told him he should have a much easier time adjusting to wherever he is now.

 

As for me, I'm still trying to figure out what to do next. I've sort of been keeping to myself since Wedding Bells and Wedward left, so I'm not really close to any of the other dolls yet. Treesa was obviously hoping that Jasper could mend my broken heart or she wouldn't have introduced me to Joy. So what happens next? I guess I'll just have to 'go with the flow,' as Joy would say.

 

Alice



Jasper's Story (Mattel The Twilight Saga Jasper)

 

I've always felt like there was something missing in my life. At first, I thought the feeling would go away once I got taken out of my box. Then I thought it would go away once I made some friends and settled into my new life. But that feeling of something missing never completely went away. Don't get me wrong, Joy's a great sister. I really admire the way she can just take things as they come. And I know if I ever needed help, Joy would have my back. But I still felt like there was something else I needed in my life, something I had to find. Now I think I finally know what it is. I figured it out the day I met Alice.

 

It was a typical day. I was going for one of my long walks around the room. I like walking; it helps me think. I was just passing the bookcase when I heard Joy's voice, along with a second voice I didn't recognize. I was curious, so I decided to see what was going on. As I turned a corner I saw Joy and her new friend. I opened my mouth to say hello, but then the new doll turned and saw me, and I found myself absolutely speechless.

 

I think what captivated me about Alice was her uniqueness. Her hair is dark and cut short, which is unusual for a Barbie doll. Her skin is extremely pale and her eyes are a color you don't typically see. But there was more to it than simply being dazzled by a pretty face. The moment I saw Alice, I realized that the thing that had been missing in my life, the thing I'd been searching for, was love. Not the brother/sister love I feel for Joy, but romantic love.

 

Alice hadn't said a word to me, I didn't even know her name yet, but somehow she'd managed to completely change my life. I wanted to tell her that, to thank her for bringing things into focus for me. But I felt so overwhelmed all I could do was stare at her. Then I noticed that Alice was staring at me too, looking at me not with appreciation but with shock. That's when Joy turned and saw me. "That's my brother Jasper," Joy said. "Don't mind him. He doesn't talk much. Jasper, this is Alice."

 

"Hello Alice," I said quietly. I was still staring; I couldn't seem to take my eyes off her. Alice must have noticed, because she quickly left and I haven't seen much of her since. It's almost like she's avoiding me. I've tried to talk to her a few times that we've bumped into each other, but she seems so uncomfortable around me. So I've been giving her her space. Still, I keep hoping to see her, even if it's just across the room.

 

Not only does Alice seem uncomfortable around me, she also seems...guarded. It feels as if she's hiding something from me. And that got me thinking. Our skin tones and our eye colors are a very close match, maybe too close. I know I'm from the Twilight line because that's what it said on my box, but I don't know very much about the series. What if Alice is from the same line? What if our characters are meant to be brother and sister? Could that be the reason why Alice is so uncomfortable?

 

I know the only way I'm going to get any real answers is to talk to Alice. But she doesn't seem to be ready to talk to me, so I'll just have to wait. It's the waiting that's really taking a toll on me. I think Joy's noticed that there's something off about me lately, but I'm not quite ready to confide in her just yet. I do know that keeping my feelings bottled up inside isn't healthy; that's why I decided to write this post. This way I can get things off my chest without the embarrassment that would come from sharing my feelings with someone I know personally. I'll admit it's not a perfect solution. It's probably not a long-term solution either. But it will have to do for now.

 

Jasper



Alice's Story: Part 3 (Mattel The Twilight Saga Eclipse Alice)

So, now I know what Treesa was hiding. She didn't buy my Jasper because she already HAD a Jasper doll. But she couldn't just come clean and tell me that. She waited until Wedding Bells and Wedward were gone, then she introduced me to Joy.

I have nothing against Joy. I don't think Treesa told HER anything either, and when Treesa introduced us Joy seemed really friendly. Then Treesa left us alone. She probably didn't want to be there when I met Jasper because she knew I'd be upset.

Anyway, Joy and me were talking when Jasper showed up. I was so surprised at first all I could do was stare at him. Joy noticed where I was looking and said, "That's my brother Jasper. Don't mind him. He doesn't talk much. Jasper, this is Alice."

My head was spinning. Was this MY Jasper? Would Treesa have bought him and not told me, wanting to keep it a surprise? Then I noticed this Jasper was staring at me, staring at me in a way my Jasper never had. "Hello Alice," Jasper said quietly. That's when I knew he had to be a different Jasper doll. He didn't call me Allie, and his voice didn't have that playful, teasing tone my Jasper always had.

Part of me wanted to track Treesa down and give her a piece of my mind, and part of me wanted to burst into tears. I made some excuse and got out of there as fast as I could. It was probably really rude of me, but I knew I needed to calm down before I said anything I'd regret to Joy, or Jasper.

I have nothing against Jasper either. It's not his fault he looks just like the doll I fell in love with. And if he likes me as much as I think he does, well, that's not his fault either. He's tried to talk to me again once or twice. I want to be polite, but I don't want to encourage him, so it's easier to just avoid him. The thing is, I think Jasper realized I'm uncomfortable around him. If he sees me across the room he'll wave, but he doesn't walk over to me anymore. He lets me have my space.  Sooner or later though, I'll probably have to tell him about my Jasper. I just hope he'll understand.

Alice

Joy's Story (unidentified blond Barbie)

 

I know I'm not the oldest doll in the collection, but I've been around long enough to learn a few things. The most important thing I've learned is that dolls who want to live happier lives, need to learn to go with the flow. Dolls' lives are unpredictable. Any doll can end up separated from their friends and family, sold or donated, put in storage, or paired up with another doll they can't stand. Our human owners decide a lot of things for us, so it's easy to build up grudges against humans. But dolls who spend their whole life carrying grudges around with them usually end up angry and bitter. I know it's not easy, but dolls live much happier lives if they try to make the best of things. At least, that's my experience.

 

It took me a while to figure this out. It didn't really sink in until after Treesa bought me. Before that I was just as guilty of holding grudges as anybody. My first owner was a little girl who, like most little kids, wasn't very good at picking up after herself. She'd usually leave me lying on the floor in the nude. Then she'd end up accidentally stepping on me. There were other things she'd do, little things I always blew out of proportion. At the time I took it all personally. Then one day the family had a yard sale, and she sold me to Treesa. Even though my life with my first owner didn't match my ideal, knowing she didn't want me anymore did a number on my self-esteem. I felt like I might as well have been thrown away.

 

My downer mood took a turn after Treesa brought me home and found me something to wear. She spent a lot of time trying to find just the right look for me.

 

 

It had been a while since a human had given me that much personal attention, so I thought I would be showered with attention from then on. I realize now my expectations were a tad unrealistic. Treesa wasn't a kid anymore, so she didn't play with her dolls. She considered herself a collector (a deboxer sure, but still a collector). This was also before us dolls started talking to Treesa, before she started trying to see things from our point of view.

 

Anyway, Treesa sort of ignored me for a while after that. I ended up getting sort of broody and depressed. Then one day I realized there were other dolls in the collection who weren't getting any more attention than I was, but they were still happy. I decided I needed to change my attitude. From then on, I was going to focus on all the good things about my life. I started making a mental list of all the things I had to be grateful for. So what if I didn't get to do photo shoots like some of Treesa's other dolls? At least I didn't get left on the floor anymore. That was definitely an improvement.

 

Now that Treesa is actually trying to figure out what us dolls want, things have gotten even better. But Treesa still has a habit of meddling with our lives. It's like she can't help herself. I still remember how she introduced me to my brother. One day I was minding my own business when Treesa came over and whisked me off to another part of the room. "Hey Joy," she said. "Sorry to bother you. I just want to compare your skin tone to Jasper's." It wasn't the strangest thing I'd ever heard come ou of Treesa's mouth. And I'll admit I was a little curious who Jasper was and what our skin tones had to do with anything.

 

Treesa set me down next to a male doll I assumed was Jasper. He definitely had a unique look going on. His skin was even paler than mine, and there was something really different about his eye color. Treesa studied us both and said, "Not quite a match, but still pretty close." Then she smiled, and I realized I was in trouble. I knew Treesa liked playing matchmaker, even though she'd never tried to match me up with anyone before.

 

Then Treesa said, "You two could be siblings!" Somehow, I managed not to roll my eyes. Treesa was just as notorious for pairing up siblings as she was for her matchmaking. Just ask her Build A Bear collection.

 

Treesa turned to me with a smirk and said, "I always said you looked like a vampire." It wasn't the first time she'd said something like that. It was one of her private jokes, like the one about Dandelion's parents being hippies. I don't exactly get it, but I think it has something to do with my pale skin, red lips, and red painted fingernails.

 

Treesa turned towards the door and said, "I've got to go. Joy, would you mind showing Jasper around? He's new. Thanks." Treesa left the room before I could answer. So there I was, expected to play tour guide to a doll she hadn't really bothered to introduce me to. I'll admit, even with my improved attitude, I was still annoyed. There's a difference between going with the flow, and getting walked over.

 

I was still staring at the door Treesa had left from when Jasper caught my attention by saying, "Sorry". I turned to him and smiled lightly, trying not to let him see how annoyed I was. After all, it wasn't his fault. "Don't be sorry," I said. "It's not your fault Treesa bailed on us."

 

"I meant about the vampire comment," Jasper said. I probably looked as confused as I felt. "Why would you be sorry about that?" I asked.

 

"I'm a vampire," Jasper said. "At least, my character is." This wasn't something I'd expected to hear. For a few seconds I just stood there blinking. "Oh, you're a character doll?" I finally said, since I didn't know what else to say.

 

"From the Twilight series," Jasper said with a nod. I wasn't sure where to go with the conversation after that, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I guess that explains your funny name," I said. Jasper looked puzzled. "My name?" he asked. I realized then just how rude I'd been. "It's just...kind of different is all," I said, hoping Jasper wouldn't be insulted. "I've never met a doll named Jasper before."

 

"It's the name I came with," Jasper said, still sounding puzzled. "Didn't you come with the name Joy?"

 

"No, Treesa named me that," I said. "Treesa couldn't i.d. me, but she thought I might be a holiday doll, because of my skin tone and coloring."

 

"Are you?" Jasper asked, sounding genuinely curious. I actually had to think about that. Finally I said, "To be honest I don't remember." I was really embarrassed now.  I tried to brush it off by saying, "You know how it is once you're redressed and your kid starts playing with you."

 

Jasper didn't say anything for a while. Finally he said, "No, I don't. Treesa just took me out of my box a few minutes ago." Now I was even more embarrassed. "I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't realize...Treesa usually buys used dolls," I explained. Now that I was really looking, I noticed Jasper's clothes still looked crisp and neat. That should have been a giveaway.

 

It was an awkward first meeting, but as I showed Jasper around we slowly got more comfortable with each other. After about two months, we decided we wouldn't mind being brother and sister. If Treesa had been trying to play matchmaker we would have fought her. But they say you need to pick your battles, and me and Jasper agreed it was easier to just go along with what Treesa wanted.

 

Jasper turned out to be a great brother. He doesn't have much of a sense of humor, but I know I can count on him if things get tough. Lately though, I've noticed something a little...off about Jasper. I can't really explain it, but it's like he's...quieter than he used to be. I mean, Jasper's always been a little quiet, especially when he first meets someone. It takes time for Jasper to warm up to new dolls. We met Alice last week and Jasper barely said a word to her.

 

But like I said, this is different. It's like there's something going on he doesn't want to talk about, but he's still carrying it around with him. I've let him know he can talk to me about anything, anytime, if he wants to. But so far, whatever it is, he's keeping it to himself. I really hope he's ok.

 

From: Joy

To: The World